Air lift chute for light rectangular articles



AIR LIFT CHUTE FOR LIGHT RECTANGULAR ARTICLES Filed Aug. 29, 1963 J. G.KELLY Oct. 5, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 R O T N E v BY James G. Kelly f flonmzvs J. G. KELLY 3,210,130

AIR LIFT CHUTE FOR LIGHT RECTANGULAR ARTICLES Oct. 5, 1965 Filed Aug.29, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

INVENTOR James G. Kelly 42M, fi/% NEYS ATTO

Oct. 5, 1965 J. G. KELLY 3,210,130

AIR LIFT CHUTE FOR LIGHT RECTANGULAR ARTICLES Filed Aug. 29, 1963 3Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 5

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INVENTOR BY James G. Kelly ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,210,130 AIRLIFT CHUTE FOR LIGHT RECTANGULAR ARTICLES James G. Keiiy, Richmond, Va.,assignor to The American Tobacco Company, New York, N.Y., a corporationof New Jersey Filed Aug. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 305,394 13 Claims. (Cl.30236) This invention relates to air lift devices for handling smalllight weight articles and particularly to devices for receiving sucharticles at a level somewhat above the floor and raising or elevatingthem to any desired point such for example as onto an overhead conveyor.

In plants where small light articles are made in quantity by automaticmachines, it is necessary to assemble or collect the product of thevarious machines and deliver the articles at a central point, forfurther processing, or packaging. This applies to the manufacture ofcigarettes, cotton tipped swabs and other articles where the individualarticles are assembled in small packs or packages.

In the manufacture of cigarettes, after the cigarettes are placed inpaper wrappings, each wrapper is covered with cellophane and it is thencustomary to place a seal or stamp centrally over one end and adjacentside margins. These operations are performed in what is known as acellophane machine. A number of such machines may operate on the samefloor but spaced somewhat apart from one another. The individual packsdischarged from these machines may be transferred by the air lift chuteof the present invention to a horizontal overhead belt conveyor whichmay be arranged to handle the packs from a considerable number of theair lift chutes and convey these packs to the packaging machine wherethe packs are encased in cartons.

In accordance with the invention the air lift chute comprises an uprightduct, the cross-sectional area of which corresponds rather closely tothe dimensions of the article to be handled such as cigarette packs. Thelower end of this duct is connected to a source of air under suitablepressure, and such air flow is passed through a venturi device near thelower end of the duct, immediately above which, or in cooperation withwhich, there is an article entrance box or casing which projectslaterally from an opening in one side of the rectangular duct.Advantageously an article feed chute inclined at an appropriate angle tothe horizontal extends upwardly from the outer end of such casing and isin alignment therewith so that the rectangular articles or packssupplied successively to the upper end of the feed chute slide down thechute and into the entrance casing. However, it will be appreciated thatother means may be used to supply the articles to the proper point inthe entrance casing, such as the midpoint, whence to be carried forwardand upward by suction. The entrance casing is provided with suitablemembers properly curved in the direction of movement of the articles toreceive and guide them into the upright duct.

An air baffle is provided in this duct to form the venturi device havinga converging entrance just below the opening through which the packsenter the duct, and a venturi throat which is located at about the levelof such entrance, or slightly below. One of the article guiding memberswithin the entrance casing serves the double purpose of initiallydirecting the forward end of each pack upwardly and of also cooperatingwith the air baffle member to form the venturi throat. The airdischarged at increased velocity through this throat is directed againstan upwardly curved portion of the air baffle member which serves both tocontinue the reorientation of the packs in the upward direction and alsoto direct the air stream upwardly in line with the upright duct.

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The entrance casing is provided with an article baffle member whichconstitutes the roof of this casing. Such member has a lower surfaceforming the roof which is curved, advantageously semi-circular in form,and convex towards the floor of the casing. This member is mounted onthe cover of the entrance casing and the mounting provides forlengthwise adjustment for such baflie member in order to accommodatepacks of different lengths. The baflie is also vertically adjustable inposition on the cover to accommodate the desired thickness of the packThe bafiie is angularly adjustable to obtain the best functioning. Thecover member is hinged at its inner end adjacent the upright duct tofacilitate cleaning of the entrance casing. Both the cover and the sidesof this casing are advantageously made of transparent material such asPlexiglas so that any jamming of the packs may be observed andcorrected.

Each pack as it enters the upright chute from the entrance casing movesunder the suction efifect of the venturi device, causing the article toenter the upward air stream in the duct. The arrangement is such that assoon as the article has passed the trailing end of the article bafile itfits rather closely the cross-sectional dimensions of the upright ductand is forced upwardly by the air stream somewhat in the manner of apiston.

The upper end of the upright air duct is connected with the horizontalconveyor by means of a curved channel which is open on its outer orupper side and provided with a pair of rails along which the articlesslide. The air pressure behind each article is relieved at a point atthe upper end of the upright duct or at a point somewhat beyond it, andfrom that point on the articles are carried by their own momentum to thepoint of discharge on to the horizontal conveyor.

The invention will be understood in greater detail by a consideration ofthe accompanying drawings and the description following.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the air lift chute and a portion of thehorizontal conveyor.

FIG. 2 is a view in elevation partly cut away and shown in verticalsection of a portion of the upright air duct, venturi device, entrancecasing and inclined feed chute.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken on broken line 4-4 of FIG. 2 lookingin the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the curved open channel and the upper endof the air duct.

FIG. 6 is a detailed horizontal section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view of a part of the curved open channel ofFIG. 5 indicated by arrows 77; and

FIG. 8 is a view in transverse section taken on line 88 of FIG. 7 andshows a cross-section of the curved channel.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the upright duct is indicated at 10, thecurved open connection channel at 11 and the horizontal conveyor towhich the articles are delivered at 12, only the housing being visible.Air is supplied under suitable pressure to the lower end of duct 10 bymeans of a motor driven blower 13 which is connected to fed to thischute by means of an endless conveyor 19 which receives the packagesfrom a cellophane wrapping machine as previously referred to.

Each article has an outside wrapping of cellophane and one end of thepack is secured by means of a stamp or seal 20. The different angularpositions which may be assumed by each pack or article at differentpoints in its passage are shown by a series of perspective views in FIG.1 placed alongside of the part of the apparatus by which the article isbeing moved. Thus while travelling along the conveyor 19 the packs 18move with the stamp or seal 20 at their left ends. However, the stampdoes not have to be located at the trailing end of the packages asshown; the pack, as it leaves conveyor 19 may be placed ofl balance ateither of its ends so as to allow the stamp to trail or lead, asdesired.

As indicated in FIG. 1, the arrangement of the curved upper portion 21of feed chute 17 is such that each pack descends by gravity, with thestamp 20 at its trailing end. If desired a duct or straight feed chute,with the curved upper portion 21 eliminated, may be used. This would bethe arrangement where it is desired to locate conveyor 19 in directalignment with feed chute 17 instead of at right angles thereto. Thepacks 18 could be delivered by such conveyor either sidewise or endwise,that is lengthwise, into such a direct feed chute. In FIG. 1 it will beseen that the packs move lengthwise in feed chute 17 and entrance casing16 as well as the upright duct and curved channel 11.

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 the entrance casing 16 is secured tothe left side of the upright duct 10, by means of a metal bracket member22, with its open right end opposite an entrance opening 23 in theadjacent wall of duct 10, its opposite or left end projecting forexample some 7" from the upright duct and receiving the lower end offeed chute 17.

The entrance casing comprises a sheet metal bottom 24 having flanges 25turned up at its opposite sides. Sheets of transparent plastic, such forexample as Plexiglas sheets 26, are secured by screws and nuts asindicated in FIGS. 2 and 4 to form the side walls of the entrancecasing. The top of the entrance casing is closed by cover member 27 ofsimilar material which is secured in position by means of a hinge 28extending continuously throughout its width as shown in FIG. 1.

The feed chute 17 is somewhat narrower than the width of the entrancecasing on account of the thickness of the plastic walls 26 (FIG. 3) andthe side walls at the lower end of the chute are offset and widened toprovide cheeklike projections 29 to enclose the outer end portions ofthe side walls 26 of the entrance chamber.

In the lower end of theupright duct 10, just below the entrance casing16, there is an air baflie member 30. This is a member having aright-hand vertical wall 31 in contact with the inner surface of thewall of duct 10 which is opposite from the entrance casing, an upwardlyinclined surface or wall 32 and an upwardly and outwardly curvingsurface or wall 33. The two inclined walls 32 and 33 meet at an apex 34which is disposed approximately at the same level as the floor ofentrance casing 16. This point, however, is adjustable verticallyinasmuch as baffle member 30 is secured in position by means of a sheetmetal screw 35 which passes through a vertical slot 36 in the outer wallof duct 10. Also adjacent apex 34 there is an article deflecting member37 which is formed by theright marginal end portion of bottom member 24.This deflecting member 37 is adjustable to a limited extent by bendingfor the purpose of not only assisting in guiding the packs as will bepresently described but also to enable 'it to properly cooperate withthe apex 34 in forming the venturi slot-like throat and in directing thestream of air towards the curved surface 33..

The wall 32 forms with the left wall of duct 10 the converging entranceof the venturi so that the velocity of d the air is increased as it isforced upwardly through the venturi throat. This increase in velocityproduces a suction effect at the left side of the air stream whichextends across the entire width of duct 10 on account of the slot-likethroat.

The articles 18 descending through the feed chute 17 are guided in theirpassage through the entrance casing 16 by means of three guidingmembers. The first is the lower end of the lower end portion 38 of thefloor of chute 17 which is vertically curved as shown in FIG. 2. Thesecond is article baffle 39 which has a lower semicircular downwardlyconvex surface for guiding the upper surfaces of the articles. The thirdarticle guiding memher is deflecting member 37 which gives to thearticles the initial upward direction into the air stream.

The maximum suction produced by the venturi occurs at the low point ofarticle bafiie 39 which is indicated by the line A--A in FIG. 2.Advantageously an inclined chute, such as feed chute 17, is used todeliver the articles into entrance casing 16 and near to this point AA,where the suction commences to carry the articles forward over thedeflector 37 and upwardly curved surface 33 and into the air streamwithin duct 10, but it will be appreciated that other means may be usedto deliver the packs near to the point AA, thence to be carried forwardby the suction. As an example of such other means the conveyor belt 19,or other belt, may be positioned to deliver the articles directly intoentrance casing 16, or to the point A-A.

Article baflle 39 is adjusted to produce maximum suction for a givensize of pack, and to allow proper turning into the upright duct. Thusarticle baflie 39 has two upright opposite side portions 40 by which itis supported on the underside of the cover member 27 of the entrancecasing. The connections between this cover member and each of sides 40are provided by means of two angular bracket members 41 which aresecured to cover member 27 by screw and nut connections 42 and which aresecured to the respective sides 49 by somewhat similar screw and nutconnections 43. These latter pass through vertical slots 44 in themembers 41 to allow for angular adjustment of the article baflle 39 theupper edges of the side members 40 being sloped in opposite directionsas shown in FIG. 2. Screw and nut connections 42 pass through slots incover 27, indicated at 45 in FIG. 3 in order to provide for adjustmentof baffle 39 lengthwise of the entrance casing.

The right end portion of article baffle 39 is arranged to have ahorizontal prominence or ridge 46 extending crosswise of duct 10 justwithin opening 23. By lengthwise adjustment of the baflie member thedistance of this prominence from the opposite wall of duct 10 can beadjusted according to the thickness and length of the rectangulararticles or packs being handled.

The duct 10 is formed of sheet metal bent into a U formation as shown inFIG. 6, and having side flanges 47. The right-hand wall of the duct,from a region indicated by numeral 48 slightly above the entrance casing16, to the lower end of the curved channel portion 11, is formed by asheet 49 of transparent material such as Plexiglas. This sheet isremovable for the purpose of cleaning the interior of the duct. In orderto removably secure sheet 49 in position it is clamped to the flangemembers 47 by means of continuous spring clamps 5%), one on each sideand extending substantially throughout the length of duct 10. The upperend of the strip or sheet of plastic 49 is beveled as indicated at 51 inFIG. 5 and wedged beneath the lower portion of a metal strip 52.

In travelling through the curved channel portion 11 the packs slidealong two curved metal rods 53. Rods 53 are supported by a series ofcross bars 54 which are bolted to the flanges of the channel member 11as shown in FIGS. 5 and 8. Rods 53 are secured to the mounting bars 54in any suitable manner such as by welding.

In view of the fact that the curved channel member 11 is open along itsouter edge, the air pressure behind the packs escapes to the atmospherein the neighborhood of the top of the upright duct so that the packsfrom thereon move on their own momentum. The point at which the airpressure is reduced or cut off is determined by the location of theupper end of strip 52 which forms a continuation of the outer wall 49 ofduct 10 and serves to close the lower portion of the open channel 11(FIG. 8). Strip 52 is mounted beneath the mounting bars 54, and byvarying the length of strip 52 the point of cut-01f of air pressure canbe adjusted to suit any particular in stallation. The curved channel 11may be constructed to turn or swing to the right instead of to the leftand thus assure that the printing at the base of the pack is not upsidedown.

The horizontal conveyor 12 to which the articles are delivered by thecurved channel 11 may be an endless belt conveyor or a conveyor of anysuitable type which is mounted within the housing shown at the top ofFIG. 1.

It is to be understood that the term duct as used in this specificationand the appended claims refers to a tubular structure which is enclosedon all sides.

I claim:

1. An air chute for elevating small light articles comprising a ductmounted in upright position, means for supplying air to the duct througha venturi device at the lower end of the duct, an entrance opening inthe side of the duct immediately above the venturi device, anarticle-entrance casing extending laterally from said opening forguiding and delivering into the duct individual articles in succession,an article baflie within the entrance casing having a downwardly convexlower surface extending lengthwise of the casing for guiding thesuccessive articles therethrough, a deflector plate on the floor of thecasing for cooperating with the bafile in directing the articlesupwardly through said opening into the air stream issuing from theventuri device, and means for supplying articles successively to theentrance casing, the suction produced by the venturi device causing thearticles to be delivered into the air stream of such device so as to becarried upwardly by the stream through the duct.

2. An air chute for elevating small light articles as set forth in claim1 wherein the article supplying means delivers the articles at thelowest point of the article baflle within the entrance casing.

3. An air chute for elevating small light rectangular articles as setforth in claim 1 wherein the venturi device includes an upwardly slopingsurface making an apexforming intersection with an upwardly curvingsurface. the upwardly sloping surface cooperating with the wall of theduct below the entrance casing to form a converging venturi entrancearea, the venturi throat being formed by said wall and said apex-formingintersection, the upwardly curved surface serving to continue theguiding of the articles upwardly into the air stream issuing from theventuri throat.

4. An air chute for elevating small light rectangular articles as setforth in claim 3 in which the venturi throat is disposed substantiallyat the level of the floor of the article entrance casing, the deflectorplate within the entrance casing being mounted on said floor at theventuri throat and extending partially into the upright duct, saidguiding member being adjustable vertically with respect to the deflectorplate to direct the air stream issuing from the venturi throat againstthe upwardly curved surface of the venturi device.

5. An air chute device for elevating small light articles as set forthin claim 1 wherein an extension is provided on the discharge end of theupright duct, said extension comprising a curved open channel memberextending through an angle of approximately 90 to deliver the articleshorizontally, said channel member having a pair of curved rods extendinglengthwise of its open side so as to permit the exhaust of the air fromthe upper end of the upright duct, the articles sliding along the innersurfaces of these rods under the momentum received during their upwardtravel in the air duct.

6. An air chute for elevating small light rectangular article comprisinga duct rectangular in cross-section mounted in upright position, aventuri device having a slot-like throat which extends crosswise of thelower end of the duct, means for supplying air to the venturi device, anentrance opening in the side of the duct immediately above the slot-likeventuri throat, an article-entrance casing extending laterally from saidopening for guiding and delivering into the duct individual articles insuccession, an article baflle within the entrance casing having adownwardly convex lower surface extending lengthwise of the casing forguiding the successive rectangular articles therethrough, a deflectorplate on the floor of the casing for directing them upwardly throughsaid opening into the air stream issuing from the slot-like venturithroat, and means for supplying articles successively to the entrancecasing, the suction produced by the venturi device causing the articlesto be delivered into the air stream of such device so as to be carriedupwardly by the stream through the upright duct.

7. An air chute for elevating small light rectangular articles as setforth in claim 3 wherein the article-baffle member in the entrancecasing has a semi-circular convex lower surface extending from side toside of the casing in spaced relation to the casing floor and extendinglengthwise from near the article supply means to the upright duct, theposition of the low point of the semi-circular surface determining thepoint within the entrance casing where maximum suction is developed, andwherein means are provided for mounting the semi-circular bafile memberfor adjustment vertically, longitudinally and angularly within theentrance casing.

8. An air chute device for elevating small light rectangular articles asset forth in claim 7 wherein the semicircular bafile member is providedwith a horizontal prominence extending crosswise of the upright ductbelow the top of the entrance casing, the lowermost point of the bafllemember being adjusted with respect to the floor of the casing tocorrespond to the minimum dimension of the articles, and said prominencebeing adjusted in a similar manner with respect to the opposite wall ofthe upright duct.

9. An air chute for elevating small light rectangular articles as setforth in claim 6 wherein the venturi device includes an upwardly slopingsurface intersected by an upwardly curving surface to form a horizontalapex, the upwardly sloping surface cooperating with the wall of the ductbelow the entrance casing to form a converging venturi entrance area;the venturi throat being formed by said apex and the adjacent wall ofthe upright duct, the upwardly curved surface serving to continue theguiding of the articles upwardly into the air stream issuing through theventuri throat.

10. An air chute for elevating small light rectangular articles as setforth in claim 9 in which the venturi throat is disposed substantiallyat the level of the floor of the article entrance casing, and one of theguiding members within the entrance casing is mounted on said flooropposite the apex of the venturi member and extends partially into theupright duct above the venturi throat, said guiding member beingadjustable vertically to direct the air stream issuing from said throatagainst the upwardly curved surface of the venturi device.

11. An air chute for elevating small light rectangular articles as setforth in claim 6 wherein the upright duct is a metallic member U-shapedin cross-section, the open side of which is closed by means of a sheetof transparent material, means being provided for removably mountingsuch sheet on the duct comprising a continuous clamping member extendingalong each side edge of the transparent sheet and having one portionengaging the margin of such sheet and its opposite portion engaging aflange extending along the duct member.

12. An air chute device for elevating small light rectangular articlesas set forth in claim 6 wherein an extension is provided on thedischarge end of the upright duct, said extension comprising a curvedopen channel member extending through an angle of approximately 90 todeliver the articles horizontally, said channel member having a pair ofcurved rods supported throughout its open side to guide the articles andto permit the exhaust 10 of the air from the upper end of the uprightduct, the articles sliding along the inner surfaces of these rods underthe momentum received during their upward travel in the air duct.

13. An air chute device for elevating small light rectangular articlesas set forth in claim 12 wherein there is provided a closure strip forthe open channel between 8 the curved rods, the length of said stripdetermining the beginning of the exhaust of the air and thus thevelocity of the articles as they commence to slide along the curvedrails References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,073,4459/63 Snelling 302-15 2,342,680 2/44 Melzer 302-2 2,929,112 3/60 Massey30259 FOREIGN PATENTS 511,611 4/55 Canada.

15 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

ANDRES H. NEILSEN, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No 3 ,210,130 October 5 1965 James G. Kelly It is hereby certified that errorappears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that thesaid Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 6, line 5, for "article" read articles line 25, for the claimreference numeral "3" read 6 Signed and sealed this 17th day of May1966.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

1. AN AIR CHUTE FOR ELEVATING SMALL LIGHT ARTICLES COMPRISING A DUCTMOUNTED IN UPRIGHT POSITION, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING AIR TO THE DUCT THROUGHA VENTURI DEVICE AT THE LOWER END OF THE DUCT, AN ENTRANCE OPENING INTHE SIDE OF THE DUCT IMMEDIATELY ABOVE THE VENTURI DEVICE, ANARTICLE-ENTRANCE CASING EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM SAID OPENING FORGUIDING AND DELIVERING INTO THE DUCT INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES IN SUCCESSION,AN ARTICLE BAFFLE WITHIN THE ENTRANCE CASING HAVING A DOWNWARDLY CONVEXLOWER SURFACE EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF THE CASING FOR GUIDING THESUCCESSIVE ARTICLES THERTHROUGH, A DEFLECTOR PLATE ON THE FLOOR OF THECASING FOR COOPERATING WITH THE BAFFLE IN DIRECTING THE ARTICLESUPWARDLY THROUGH SAID OPENING INTO THE AIR STREAM ISSUING FROM THEVENTURI DEVICE, AND MEANS FOR SUPPLYING ARTICLES SUCCESSIVELY TO THEENTRANCE CASING, THE SUCTION PRODUCED BY THE VENTURI DEVICE CAUSING THEARTICLES TO BE DELIVERED INTO THE AIR STREAM OF SUCH DEVICE SO AS TO BECARRIED UPWARDLY BY THE STREAM THROUGH THE DUCT.